News in February

Shedding new light on the evolution of the squid1 March 2017Octopus, cuttlefish and squid are well known in the invertebrate world. With their ink-squirting decoy technique, ability to change colour, bizarre body plan and remarkable intelligence they highlight that lacking a back-bone doesn’t always mean lacking sophistication.

Calculating recharge of groundwater more precisely28 February 2017An international team of researchers has demonstrated that key processes in models used for the global assessment of water resources for climate change are currently missing. This could mean climate change impact models are wrong in some parts of the world and cannot yet be used to guide water management.

Brain stimulation used in world first treatment of high blood pressure27 February 2017A Bristol team has used a deep brain stimulation technique to dramatically reduce a woman’s high blood pressure – the first time in the world the procedure has been carried out for hypertension. The discovery raises hopes for patients with drug-resistant hypertension.

Forests to play major role in meeting Paris climate targets27 February 2017Forests are set to play a major role in meeting the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement - however, accurately monitoring progress toward the 'below 2°C' target requires a consistent approach to measuring the impact of forests on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Sound-shaping super-material invented27 February 2017A super-material that bends, shapes and focuses sound waves that pass through it has been invented by scientists. The creation pushes the boundaries of metamaterials – a new class of finely-engineered surfaces that perform nature-defying tasks.

Bristol and BT collaborate on massive MIMO trials for 5G wireless24 February 2017The quest for highly efficient 5G wireless connectivity has been given a boost thanks to a collaboration between a team of 5G engineers from the Universities of Bristol and Lund, National Instruments (NI), and BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications services.

Turning the lens on the BBC’s Natural History Unit24 February 2017A new Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project at the University of Bristol is looking at the world of wildlife filmmaking over the last twenty-five years. It focuses on the story of the world-famous BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2017, and the Unit’s wider cultural impact.

Sue Yeo, 1955 - 201723 February 2017Sue Yeo, who worked as a digital operator within Print Services, died on 10 January 2017. Her colleague Amanda Gallacher offers a tribute.

New study gives weight to Darwin’s theory of ‘living fossils’22 February 2017A team of researchers from the University of Bristol studying the ‘living fossil’ Sphenodon - or tuatara - have identified a new way to measure the evolutionary rate of these enigmatic creatures, giving credence to Darwin’s theory of ‘living fossils’.

What are your life chances?20 February 2017Life Chances reveals some of the struggles families are facing in austerity Britain. The new novel, which uses fictional characters based on the experiences of real people who are recent migrants or living on the breadline in inner city Britain, is published today [20 Feb].

New guidance on hand-rearing decisions for endangered penguin chicks 17 February 2017The first model of its kind which provides guidance on the survival likelihood of abandoned penguin chicks admitted to rehabilitation has been developed by researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Exeter, Cape Town, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and Bristol Zoological Society.

New discovery could be a major advance for understanding neurological diseases13 February 2017The discovery of a new mechanism that controls the way nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other to regulate our learning and long-term memory could have major benefits to understanding how the brain works and what goes wrong in neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy and dementia. The breakthrough, published in Nature Neuroscience, was made by scientists at the University of Bristol and the University of Central Lancashire. The findings will have far-reaching implications in many aspects of neuroscience and understanding how the brain works.

How Bristol research saved 20,000 babies' lives10 February 2017Twenty five years ago, University of Bristol Professor, Peter Fleming, pioneered research which showed lives could be saved if babies were placed on their backs - and not their fronts- to sleep. His ground-breaking research informed the high profile Back-to-Sleep campaign in the early 90s. It is estimated his research has saved the lives of more than 20,000 babies in the UK alone and has changed official advice about safer sleeping for babies the world over.

Quipu — calls for justice10 February 2017'Esperanza and Teodula were sterilised without consent more than 18 years ago. They are still searching for justice in Quipu, Peru.’

Dr Jim Caunt, 1976-201710 February 2017Dr Christopher James (Jim) Caunt, a Bristol graduate and former Research Associate at the Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, passed away in January. Professor Craig McArdle and Dr Gavin Welsh offer a remembrance.

Colin Hawkins, 1937-201610 February 2017Colin Hawkins, former Superintendent of the Physiology department, died on 13 December 2016. His colleague Debbie Martin offers a tribute.

How languages shape economics9 February 2017Half of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual, with over 6,000 different languages spoken in the world today. But language is much more than just communication. As well as expressing cultural identity, language also enables trade and trade shapes language.